Meet Our Team

Autumn McDaniel, Owner/Director

Autumn is a dedicated early childhood educator with a profound commitment to nurturing the development of young children. After graduating high school with an associate degree in interdisciplinary studies, she further pursued her passion by obtaining a Child Development Associate (CDA) degree. Over the past four years, Autumn has excelled in various roles within early childhood education, including master teacher, toddler teacher, assistant, and director, showcasing her versatility and leadership in the field.

A devoted member of Life Church, Autumn finds fulfillment in her faith and community involvement. In addition to her professional pursuits, she enjoys spending quality time with her family, exercising, raising Golden Retrievers, and traveling, all of which contribute to her well-rounded approach to life.

For the past two years, Autumn has been passionately working towards her dream of opening her own early care and education business. Inspired by her mother’s legacy, she is determined to create a lasting impact in the lives of children and their families. Her deep love for children drives her enthusiasm to partner with parents, fostering environments that promote health, safety, and love.

Autumn McDaniel embodies the spirit of dedication and vision in early childhood education, and she looks forward to building a legacy that will benefit generations to come.

Amie McDaniel, Master Teacher

Amie has worked in Early Care and Education for over 30 years. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. Amie graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma in 2001 as the Class Marshal, with a 4.0 grade point average. While she was in school, she started out owning a large home child care center, then became a Master Teacher at a preschool, and began the footwork to open her own large child care center. In 2001, she opened Adventurous Beginnings for Children in Moore. Here, she served as Owner/Director for 7 years. Then in 2008, she opened a large child care center in Shawnee. She served here as Owner/Director from 2008 to 2022. Her center is nationally accredited and is licensed for 125 children.

Amie is a member of the Association for Early Learning Leaders and has attended their yearly national conferences since 2011. Amie has served as a Board Member for the Licensed Child Care Association since 2019, where she is active working at the Capitol to bring about positive legislation for small business owners and children. With 30 years of experience, she has earned numerous training certificates with a focus in leadership, classroom management, administration, and center operations. Amie is a certified level III specialist and educator for the University of Oklahoma and the Center for Early Childhood of Professional Development. She observes candidates so that they can obtain their Child Development Associate’s Degrees. She has an Oklahoma Director’s Credential-Gold level. Amie is a national validator for the Association of Early Learning Leaders.

Amie has been very active in her church, where she has volunteered to lead the youth for several decades. Amie has worked with children her whole life, since the age of 13. She has expertise in all aspects of early education program operations. She is passionate about bringing positive change to support systems for the child care industry, reducing regulatory issues. “Child care is a high stress and undervalued industry. It lacks support systems needed for success to maintain the best practices possible for children,” stated Amie. Amie’s passion for children has become the missionary field for her life. Although Amie has devoted her life to early care and education, her heart is just as much devoted to her family. She has four amazing children. The two oldest are OU graduates in Biochemical Engineering and Neurology. The youngest son is a senior this year and loves football. Their daughter is following in Amie’s footsteps and becoming an entrepreneur. Amie lives on a farm in Meeker, OK with her husband. Together, they are enjoying the addition of two grandchildren.

Taylor Clanton, Master Teacher

Taylor a dedicated advocate for children, grew up in Shawnee, Oklahoma, inspired by her father’s service as a doctor and her mother’s commitment as a homemaker. Their examples, combined with her innate desire to help others, led her to a rewarding career as a registered nurse in acute care for four years, where she provided essential education to patients and their families to enhance their quality of life.

After becoming a mother, Taylor discovered a profound passion for childhood development. She is the proud mother of a kind-hearted 4-year-old girl and a charming 2-year-old boy, and she and her husband have been married for eight years, living in Moore alongside their beloved dog, Roscoe.

Taylor believes in the power of positive interactions to foster a nurturing and inclusive environment for children. She emphasizes the importance of a developmentally appropriate curriculum that encourages exploration and creativity. Committed to enhancing children’s learning experiences, she incorporates Spanish language lessons into her weekly activities, promoting bilingualism and cultural awareness from an early age.

Actively involved in her community, Taylor enjoys serving the youth at Life.Church, where she makes a positive impact. By obtaining her Child Development Associate’s degree, she aims to leverage her skills and passion to create nurturing environments for children. Taylor believes that parenthood is one of life’s greatest callings and is excited to partner with parents in guiding and supporting their little ones as they grow.